Boulder sheriff: Suspect in murder of Aaron Tuneberg assaulted in jail by cellmate

By Mitchell Byars, Camera Staff Writer

Posted:
04/15/2014 03:06:11 PM MDT

Updated:
04/15/2014 06:03:06 PM MDT

Austin Holford looks at his public defender, Eric Zale, during a court hearing at the Boulder County Jail on April 7. (Jeremy Papasso / Daily Camera)

Austin Holford, one of two teens accused of beating 30-year-old Aaron Tuneberg to death with a baseball bat during a robbery in March, was assaulted last week at the Boulder County Jail by a cellmate who wanted to "show him what it feels like to be beaten to death," according to an arrest report.

Scott Benson, 46, was arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault and felony menacing in connection with the jail assault.

According to the report, Holford said that at 3:45 p.m. Thursday, Benson, his jail cellmate, asked him if he was the "baseball bat kid." Holford said that he was.

Holford told investigators that Benson threatened to bounce his head off the toilet to "show him what it feels like to be beaten to death," according to the report.

Scott Benson (Boulder County Sheriff's Office)

Benson then rushed Holford, the report said, and began smashing his head into the wall and punching him. When Holford fell down, Benson began hitting his head against the toilet and then started to strangle him, according to the report.

Boulder County Jail deputies came into the cell and witnessed Benson continuing to try to strangle Holford, according to the report.

Holford was taken to Boulder Community Hospital with abrasions to his face, bruising on his ear, a bite on his wrist and a sore knee, hip and head.

Benson remains in custody at the jail on $20,000 bond and is due for a filing of charges today. He was in custody on a previous arrest on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance and DUI.

Holford and Luke Pelham, both 18, are facing charges of first-degree felony murder, second-degree murder with a deadly weapon, first-degree assault on an at-risk victim, aggravated robbery and first-degree burglary after prosecutors say they beat Tuneberg with a bat and a golf club so they could take his Xbox on March 31.

Tuneberg, who was developmentally disabled, was taken to the hospital after the assault but died last week.

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